Measles scare at Vancouver airport

Health officials are warning the public to watch for measles symptoms after an infected person recently flew into Vancouver.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, the passenger flew from New Delhi to Guangzhou on China Southern flight CZ 3028 and then from Guangzhou to Vancouver on China Southern flight CZ 377 on June 23.

The CDC believes travellers on those flights, as well as anyone who might have gone through Vancouver International Airport that day, could be at risk, and those on the affected flights could infect others even outside of YVR.

Measles is a highly infectious disease that is spread by coughing and sneezing.

Although the CDC believes most travellers are immune to measles, all passengers on those flights are asked to check if they have been vaccinated.

Infants less than a year old are, and others who haven’t been vaccinated, are considered especially at risk.

Most people born after 1970 have likely received the measles, or MMR (a combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) and are protected. Many of those born before 1970 are likely to be immune because of prior measles infections.

Symptoms, which can take between one to three weeks to develop, include:

Fever

Cough

Runny nose

Red eyes

Rash that starts centrally including on the face, spreads to the limbs and lasts at least three days